Rebirth as The Vampire Lord's Wife
Chapter 98: Terrible News

Chapter 98: Terrible News

The next day.

At 8 AM, Iris parked her car at Silenthill’s only hospital. They had arrived early because Cassandra was scheduled to be the first patient for her medical check-up. She halted as they entered the deserted hospital lobby and turned to Iris with a warm smile.

"Iris, you can wait for Grandma at the cafeteria. You do not need to accompany me; I’ve done this before and know the routine. Besides, they won’t allow you to enter," Cassandra reassured her.

Iris was initially perplexed by her grandmother’s insistence. She debated whether to insist on staying with her or not. However, seeing the determination in her grandmother’s eyes, she began to suspect something.

"Are you sure, Grandma?" she asked calmly, her keen eyes searching for any hint in Cassandra’s gaze.

Cassandra maintained her gentle smile while softly patting Iris’s head, adorned with a black baseball cap — The unusual thing she had witnessed in the last few days happened to her granddaughter, wearing a hat to hide her beautiful hair.

"Yes, dear. Go... find a cafe and have your breakfast. You haven’t eaten since last night," Cassandra said with concern. They had left the house without breakfast because she had to fast for her medical check-up.

Iris set aside her curiosity and agreed with her Grandma, as the hanger was now starting to bother her.

"Alright, I’ll be waiting for you at the cafe. Grandma, please call me when you finish..." Iris replied, then smiled to reassure her Grandma.

After watching her grandmother enter the elevator, Iris went to the cafe.

There was a sense of melancholy as she entered this familiar place, a coffee shop franchise she had frequented in her previous life. She was thankful to find one here, although it was located only within the hospital.

"Good morning. May I help you?" The friendly female cafe staff greeted Iris with a smile.

"Hi, I’d like an extra shot of macchiato and a Mushroom Beef Panini," she ordered, choosing her favorites.

"For takeout or dine-in?" the staff inquired.

"Dine-in," she replied, scanning the cafe’s interior. Fortunately, it was relatively empty, allowing her to choose her seat. Her eyes landed on an unoccupied table in the corner. It offered a good vantage point. She can keep an eye on both inside and outside the hospital. This way, she could promptly notice when her grandmother had finished her medical check-up.

"I’ll sit there," she pointed to her chosen table.

"Perfect! Please take a seat, miss," the staff said politely. "I’ll bring your order to you shortly."

Iris nodded. After she paid, she made her way to the selected table. She promptly took her laptop from her backpack, intending to check her grandmother’s hospital records.

Earlier, Iris sensed her grandmother’s emotions, detecting an underlying worry. Yet, her ability wasn’t potent enough to read someone else’s thoughts directly. It made her unable to understand her grandmother’s concerns. The only feasible way to find out was to breach the hospital’s administration system and access her grandmother’s medical records.

Iris didn’t take long to locate Cassandra Gray’s database within the hospital’s system. However, just as she was about to delve into the files, a kind-hearted female cafe staff member approached her table to deliver her order.

"Enjoy your breakfast, miss," the staff member said, placing her coffee and panini on the table.

"Thank you," Iris responded, offering a polite smile. When the staff member left, her eyes narrowed, and she focused on the files.

Just a few minutes into reading the file, Iris’ calm expression underwent a series of transformations: confusion, tension, darkening, and finally, fear. She didn’t need to be a medical expert to understand the meaning of stage four cancer.

"I-Is this... is this really... true?" Iris muttered softly, grappling with the disbelief that welled up inside her. She read the file repeatedly, but the results remained unchanging.

Fear slowly gripped Iris as the reality sank in, and she realized that her grandmother didn’t have much time left with her. She attempted to rely on her younger self’s memories to detect any unusual changes in her grandmother’s condition.

After a few minutes...

Her hands were trembling now. She pondered the many alterations in her grandmother over the past year, changes she had failed to notice or had been too naive to understand.

Now, she understands why her grandmother’s hair suddenly became short and gray. She must have been using a wig to conceal her hair loss.

"Iris, you’re such a heartless granddaughter! How could you have ignored all these things about your grandmother?" She couldn’t help but scold her younger self for her obliviousness.

Shaking her head, she closed her laptop and began to eat her breakfast, trying to push aside her worry and fill her empty stomach. Perhaps after she had eaten, she could find a way to help her grandmother.

When Iris began to embrace the warmth of family and understand its meaning, it felt like fate was ready to take everything away. No, she couldn’t allow that to happen. She couldn’t bear the thought of her grandmother leaving her alone, with no one to care for her, in this world.

Filled with fear at the prospect, Iris found herself pleading with God, ’Just this once, please show your mercy. God! Heal my Grandma’s sickness. If you do, I promise to become your most devoted servant.’

Upon finishing her plea, Iris felt a tremor deep within her heart.

’God, if you’re truly listening, I’ll fulfill any task you set for me. Please, allow this to happen...’ Iris took a deep breath. She hopes God will hear and bless her.

...

An hour passed, but Cassandra’s medical examination was still ongoing.

Iris tried to distract herself by searching for information about her country. But something felt off. The details she discovered felt bizarre, and she began to feel unfamiliar with the place.

’Why are my memories of my hometown slowly fading? Is the erasure of my past memories still ongoing? Will I eventually forget my origin completely?’ Iris couldn’t help but feel both puzzled and frightened.